Monday, 30 March 2009

The "Back to Front" Tying Method:
1. Fold the material depending on its width to make sure if covers the entire hair {how much you fold this material depends on its width}
2. Stand in front of a mirror
3. Hold the material with the folded part away from your face.
4. Place the material over your hair.
5. Adjust the material so its middle is at the base of your neck. In doing so you will have two ends of material. Holding your head up, and looking straight ahead, grab the right end of the material midway to
the end with your right hand and hold on to while grabbing the left end of the material with your left hand.
6. Hold the ends close together with your thumbs, allowing the rest of your fingers to be free.
7. Keep holding the material with your thumbs, but use the two
fingers next to your thumbs to switch the right end of the material to your left hand and the left end to your right hand. {I always find that I bend my head down when doing this}
8. Tighten the gele by pulling the ends. Your right hand holding the formerly left end of the material will be up above your right ear.
9. Let go of the left side of the material, but keep a hold of the right.
10. This step is for those who wear their Headwraps over their ears. Some women don't] Raise the material or otherwise manipulate the material around your ears so that your ear lobes are showing and are comfortable.
11. I usually hold my head titled a bit for this neck step. Take the right end around your head with your right hand until it gets to the left ear.
12. With your left hand, move the left end away from piece you are working with

{Now here's where you're creativity comes in. You can twist, tuck, or tie this end. If you want to make a crown gele, you're going to be tucking the ends in so no piece shows. And then you when the right end is tucked in, you will do the same with the left end. But I like to do this:

13. Tie the right end and the left end together at their base. Tie the ends so that they are comfortable on your head-not too loose and not too tight. You should now have a Headwraps that covers your head with two pieces hanging down-one longer than the other. You could just leave it like that, or you could experiment with twisting, tucking one end at a time or tying both pieces together until you end up with a "finished product" that you like.

Sunday, 29 March 2009

I found there are sooo many ways to tie the many headwraps so I
will try and post a different style each day of the coming week. Hope you enjoy the different styles and try them out. So the first is a traditional headwrap... Enjoy your week...and Look out for more Headwrapping styles

Saturday, 21 March 2009

This is an age old hairstyle, some may look shubby, others look wonderous but all in all, the headwrap is a woman's crown. The names range from gele, skintolo to "Orie Rogos". You can have a complicated do or a very simple one, a very colourful or a plain one. I do love headwraps especially the Nigerian ones or just the simple hiphop ones. You can wear them anyway anytime. Depending on size though you might try and avoid wearing an elaborate skintolo to the office you might look really confused. In some cultures there are rules on who can wear which colour and what size, but as the world becomes a global village I think more people are wearing headwaraps for their beauty and not their representation. Next I will add a post on how to tie the wraps. Do you tie the wraps? Do you like them? Do you admire them?

Wednesday, 11 March 2009

1- You have to be prepared for negative "reactions" from family, friends and even colleagues. Growing dreadlocks is mentally, physically, and spiritually challenging. It would help if you spoke to your family and friends before you grow your locks so as to understand their feelings toward the matter and even their reason for having such an opinion. This will help especially when the whole world seems to have turned against you. You could have a talk with the Human Resource Manager at your work place to get an idea about the company's policy concerning locks. Be prepared for rejection. There are companies that will not employ you or will fire employees with locks. I remember a friend who had to wear wigs during interviews and the first days at a new work place and after a while reveal her locks. In some countries Locks is not a good enough reason to get fired, but it is not to be hired in the first place.2- Locks need lots of attention especially in the early stages. Locks are not an instant hairstyle, they require lots of TLC, and you can't just wake up one day and undo them like braids. Locks will test your last nerve when it comes to patience.Locks like any hairstyle require maintenance. All those that say that locks look good even when dirty lied. 3- Considering Locks require lots of maintenance, I guess you should consider whether you will have enough time to take care of them or if you will require the services of a Loctician (a person specialized in locks). Locticians are quite expensive though depending on where you are. Some areas almost don't have any.Success in your decision making and preparation for Locking

My "Locks"

This is a blog on Locks, many call them dreadlocks, I find nothing dreadful about them, I love mine and I would love to help anyone with questions about maintaining their Natural Locks. If you have to maintain them on your own without a hairdresser nearby, then I'm here to answer all those questions.Enjoy and feel free to send in your feedback.

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"They cook their hair....

"They cook their hairwith hot iron and pullit hard So that it maygrow long. Then theyrope the hair onwooden pens like abilly goat brought forthe sacrifice strugglingto free itself.They fry their hair inboiling oil as if itwere locusts and thehair sizzles.It cries aloud in sharppain as it is pulledand stretched and thevigorous and healthyhair, Curly, springyand thick that glistensin the sunshine Is leftlistless and dead."

"The Graceful GiraffeCannot Become a Monkey,"Song of Lawino andSong of Okol,1988 Okot P 'Bitek,